How do you simplify #(3a + 3b)/(-a-b)#?

Question

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Answer 1 · 2017-07-24T07:47:15

#-3#

#(3a + 3b)/(-a-b)#

Solution

#(3a + 3b)/(-a-b)# #rArr# #(3(a + b))/(-a-b)#

#(3(a + b))/-(a+b)#

#(3cancel(a + b))/-cancel(a+b)#

#3/-1#

#-3 -> Answer#

Answer 2 · 2017-07-24T07:57:16

#-3#

Look for common terms on the top and bottom, in this case, #(color(red)(3)a+color(red)(3)b)/(color(blue)(-)acolor(blue)(-)b)#

Factorising gives us #(color(red)(3)(a+b))/(color(blue)(-)(a+b))#.

Cancelling out similar terms gives us #(color(red)(3)cancel((a+b)))/(color(blue)(-)cancel((a+b)))=3/(-1)=-3/1=-3#